London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

Bars and restaurants across the capital are bracing themselves for what will be the busiest week of the year for Christmas parties.

Many venues have already seen a massive increase in bookings and have doubled their stock intake to cater for the increased festive demand.

Ken Wright, managing director of The Phoenix Artist Club in Charing Cross, said he had had to close last night because he ran out of wine.

He added: “My staff are exhausted as we got absolutely trounced last night. I have never seen anything like it.

“The double dip recession is not happening here. I think rather than paying bonuses, a lot of businesses are deciding to go for a big party, a really good night-out.

“I’ve got my suppliers coming in today to discuss how we can up to two deliveries a week instead of one.”

Simon Thomas, chairman of the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, said things had been building up to a “crescendo” over the last couple of weeks.

He added: “There is a fantastic atmosphere in London. People are full of Christmas cheer.”

Staff at the restaurants and bars in Heddon Street, Mayfair, said they are preparing for an “extremely busy” few weeks.

Alena Hand, manager at Icebar, said: “This is the busiest week of the year. We have a lot of private events as well as corporate Christmas parties, but basically it is day and night, lunch and evening bookings with anything between 25 to 100 people from now until January.”

Manuela Civita, who works at Momo, said: “It’s extremely busy. Monday is the only day when we have any space for more big bookings. This year is looking busier than last year. We get a lot of fashion houses - Louboutin and Chanel for example have made bookings with us in the run up to Christmas.”

Some of the most popular restaurants are already booked out until the New Year.

Kettner’s in Romilly Street, one of London’s oldest restaurants, is “choc-a-bloc” from tonight (MON).

Sammy Dodds, who takes bookings, said: “We are completely packed out with large groups. We have eight private rooms, and they are all booked up with parties, and some of them are for as many as 150 people. There are more bookings than last year – we are choc-a-bloc. It’s going to be pretty crazy.”

Soho’s Burger and Lobster, a chain well known for its “no reservation policy”, is now taking bookings for groups of six or more.

Assistant manager Andrew Flood said: “We are mainly a walk-in restaurant, but the area of the restaurant that we have put aside for reservations has office and corporate parties booked from now until the New Year.”